Former Van Alstyne youth minister among those indicted for sex crimes

By Jerrie Whiteley, Herald Democrat

Thursday

Nov 8, 2018 at 12:27 PMNov 8, 2018 at 2:51 PM

A former Van Alstyne youth minister was indicted this week on a number of child sexual abuse charges.

The list of indictments released by the Grayson County District Attorney’s Office shows that Timothy Urban, 52, a former youth director at First United Methodist Church of Van Alstyne faces one count of sexual assault of a child, two counts of sexual assault, and three charges of sexual performance by a child induced by an adult. Urban is represented in the case by Sherman attorney Bob Jarvis, who said his client has yet to bond out of jail.

In August, Urban was arrested and officials said he is alleged to have sexually assaulted a teenage girl between 2015 and 2016. The complaint said the events occurred when the juvenile was 16 years of age and were usually performed in a vehicle or at the church.

Investigators have hundreds of text messages and videos provided by the victim that detail her exchanges with the youth director. They include photos of Urban’s genitalia and videos showing him masturbating.

Urban apologized to the teen in text messages she sent after the investigation began, and said he never meant to hurt her.

First Methodist Church of Van Alstyne Pastor Scott Holcomb-McClain said Urban had been suspended as the church’s youth director immediately upon his arrest.

Urban was not the only one indicted on charges related to the sexual abuse of a child. In addition, grand jurors indicted Montario Johnson, 37, of Denison on one charge of online solicitation of a minor sexual conduct and Cipriano Rosas, 29, of Celina on two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child.

The indictments are formal charges and are not an indication of guilt.